About the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society

Since 1839, the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society has provided financial assistance to fishermen and mariners and their dependants who have suffered hardship, misfortune or poverty, as a result of an accident, illness, disability, unemployment or retirement.

As a maritime charity, our goal is to make a tangible difference to people’s lives when it’s needed most. In 2017-18 alone, we:

Made regular and one-off grants in over 2,000 cases amounting to £1.4 million

Handled 504 new applications for assistance

Took on 93 new regular beneficiaries

The people we help are mainly retired or permanently disabled seafarers and their widows/partners. Beneficiaries are typically aged 50 and above (although of course we consider enquiries from people of all ages) and have backgrounds in the fishing industry and Merchant Navy. Their sea service may have included time in the Royal Navy as well.

Support Us

A message from Capt. Justin Osmond RN, the Chief Executive of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society:

“For 180 years, our aim has been the same – to relieve distress among the seafaring and ex-seafaring community.

Thankfully, shipwrecks are fewer these days but they still occur, bringing tragedy in their wake, and then there are those who have left the sea, through accident, ill health, for compassionate reasons, or on retirement, and their dependants, who are living on meagre incomes and can find themselves in financial difficulties and in need of assistance.

Please feel free to contact us should you require further information about any aspect of our work. Your support is much appreciated. Thank you.”

How Are We Able to Do All This?

We rely on the support of the public and other grant making charities in order to continue helping individuals in crisis.

Our main sources of income are:

Legacies – have you considered including the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society in your Will?

We are also a member of The Merchant Navy Welfare Board and cooperate closely with other member charities to ensure that resources are distributed as fairly as possible where there is the greatest need.